We are very proud of our Elite Partnerships with Carriers and Vendors that incorporate technology into all they do. This series features each of our Elite Partners, who offer savings and efficiencies for your technology and communication needs.

This week’s featured partner is . Our series hosts, & , sat down with & to discuss Empyrean’s tech know-how, company developments, and market wins. Be sure to also check out the

BTR:

What is Empyrean’s claim to fame?

Empyrean:

Empyrean has been around since 2006, so we are not rookies by any means. We serve clients of all sizes with a focus on service to a variety of industries and with a mixture of benefits strategies. We are focused on building culture through employee benefits to connect employees with their benefits and enrich their lives. We deploy a service-first approach to technology and measure it regularly.

BTR:

What’s new and exciting for Empyrean?

Empyrean:

We are so excited to launch our Pilot Plus tool, which is a claims-based decision support and engagement tool. This data-driven tool helps employees choose which plans are best for them with year-round access.

BTR:

Tell us about your integration opportunities.

Empyrean:

Integrations are important to us, and we consider Empyrean is one part of a bigger technology ecosystem. We know we can’t be the curator of every employee benefit, so we work together with outside vendors and carriers to make the benefits experience the best it can be for employees.

We use APIs to make sure the employee experience is easy and understandable, with a focus on data sharing, especially with demographic information. We also use APIs within our Pilot Plus tool which supports the relevance of the employee benefits strategy overall.

BTR:

Data security is essential for employers these days. What are you doing to protect data and maintain security?

Empyrean:

Nothing is more critical to Empyrean than data security. We are SOCII Compliant and “Exception Free” with our SOC audit testing since day 1. Empyrean is continually investing into security projects, including ISO Certification by the end of 2022. Our bit site score has been ranked highest amongst our technology peers.

BTR:

What’s on Empyrean’s roadmap?

Empyrean:

Empyrean is continuing to pursue the next evolution of “benadmin” by engaging with brokers, employers, and partners like BTR. We are listening to a myriad of voices from a variety of benefits spaces, including a Client Council, for the needs across the market. Our Pilot Plus program will grow and expand as we start plugging in more claims data. We also recently partnered with Nelson Hall to gather market research which is informing the trajectory of Empyrean’s development in the coming year.

Empyrean is also homing in on year-round engagement and connection strategies for employees. We feel employees deserve the best support for Life Events and more, so we are implementing communications tools to support a more streamlined enrollment strategy and continue to extend the employer’s culture into the employee’s benefit experience.

BTR appreciates our partnership with our Elite Partners. Be sure to check out our other partners on our . If you’d like more information about savings and efficiencies offered through our Elite Partners, please email BTRProjects@bentechre.com.

We are very proud of our Elite Partnerships with Carriers and Vendors that incorporate technology into all they do. This series features each of our Elite Partners, who offer savings and efficiencies for your technology and communication needs.

This week’s featured partner is . Our series hosts, & , sat down with & to discuss Proliant’s tech know-how, company developments, and market wins.

BTR:

What is Proliant’s claim to fame? Give us the 411 on your specialty.

Proliant:

At Proliant, we believe there is not true “best HR technology,” rather we look at how technology fits best with our clientele. Our origins were in CPA tax services, until our clients asked for support with payroll services. Proliant pivoted to accommodate the needs of their clients, and now payroll is the core service offered by Proliant. Industries with hourly employees – restaurants, factories, retail, and the like – are finding a lot of success on Proliant’s software

BTR:

What are the common services added onto your core payroll offering?

Proliant:

Typically, we see Onboarding, ACA, HRIS, and Time & Labor implemented with our core payroll service. We were the first payroll system in the industry with an integrated ACA suite, with lots of bells and whistles for employers with variable hour employees.

Applicant tracking is typically stand-alone from the payroll system, which is by design in many cases due to the specific needs of the type of client using AT solution.

Benefits administration is available through Proliant, and we also offer integrations with many other best-in-breed ben admin systems like Employee Navigator, PlanSource, and bswift. Proliant is proud to have the flexibility to integrate with best-in-breed partners to offer the best global solution for the employer.

BTR: Tell us about the opportunities available for integrations.

Proliant:

We have an open API architecture. We see a lot of integrations with Applicant Tracking and Learning Management systems to facilitate new hire processes. Security is also a popular API for many clients to support Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) functionality.

BTR: What is on Proliant’s roadmap?

Proliant:

Our product team is doing a great job listening to our clients with a focus on automating as much as we can for employers. Standardization of data is top of mind with most of our developments, with the objective of helping employers be able to use their data for employee utilization and corporate forecasting.

Employee Engagement is also being developed. Technology tools such as employee surveys and communication modules are being designed to support business objectives from the top down, including position management access for mid-management roles and collaborative digital spaces within Proliant’s software.

BTR appreciates our partnership with our Elite Partners. Be sure to check out our other partners on our . If you’d like more information about savings and efficiencies offered through our Elite Partners, please email BTRProjects@bentechre.com.

We are very proud of our Elite Partnerships with Carriers and Vendors that incorporate technology into all they do. This series features each of our Elite Partners, who offer savings and efficiencies for your technology and communication needs.

This week’s featured partner is . Our series hosts, & , sat down with & to discuss Guardian’s tech know-how, company developments, and market wins. Be sure to also check out the .

BTR:

What is Guardian great at? Give us the 411.

Guardian:

Guardian has been in business for 160 years and is proud to bring a broad offering of comprehensive solutions aimed at supporting the overall wholistic wellness. Guardian regards personal wellness to include “Mind, Body, & Wallet” and focuses their endeavors to support all three areas. Guardian also targets their partnerships specifically to provide tools that provide the ability to simplify benefits management overall.

BTR:

What’s big and exciting for Guardian right now?

Guardian:

We are developing more APIs for our Guardian Access API Program. The program facilitates quick implementation of connections and supports enrollment accuracy with a keen focus on integration with ben admin systems and other HR technologies.

Guardian currently has 4 Key APIs which are designed to enhance the employee enrollment experience:

• Member API – Transmits employee demographic & eligibility information to Guardian
• Plan Level API – Facilitates plan configuration so that system rules match the plan rules
• EOI API – Enables an instant insurability decision at time of enrollment
• Provider Directory API – Employees can search for providers within the ben admin system

Guardian is also working to improve connectivity across all benefits. Guardian is focusing on employee education & awareness about their enrolled products, with the aim of improving the employee’s experience in using their insurance. A new, innovative partnership with Naya Health enhances the employee experience with decision support at point of enrollment by providing a data centric view of utilization and education.

Guardian believes that a connectivity strategy is needed by all industries – technology is the tie that binds for most companies.

BTR: What’s on Guardian’s Technology Roadmap?

Guardian:

Guardian is excited to release a Member level & Plan level API with ADP WorkForce Now toward the end of 2022.

Guardian is currently acting as its own test client for an EOI API with Workday and will release more APIs with Workday in the future.

BTR: What else would you like to share?

Guardian:

Guardian is a big fan of the Enrollment Support available through BTR’s partnership with iBenefit Communication. Having 1-on-1 direct support to help an employee with their benefits package not only humanizes the benefits enrollment experience, but it also supports data validation at the point of enrollment.

It’s also awesome to have iBenefit on board because their support is ideal for multi-generational workplaces. Gen Z is starting to make benefits decisions – even though they are fluent with technology, they still need a person to simplify and guide their choices. Gen X doesn’t want help but can struggle with technology so they need a human to support their utilization of the technology. Guardian appreciates iBenefit’s ability to solve for a broad scope of cross-generational needs.

BTR appreciates our partnership with our Elite Partners. Be sure to check out our other partners on our . If you’d like more information about savings and efficiencies offered through our Elite Partners, please email BTRProjects@bentechre.com.

Employer contributions to a Health Savings Account is a useful way to encourage employees to enroll in a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) with an HSA.  If your organization is considering offering an HSA with an employer contribution, it is important that you consider if your benefits administration technology can accommodate the intended contribution strategy.  Exploring the opportunities within your Ben Admin will inform how your organization will handle contributions for new hires, qualifying life events, and annual renewal enrollments.

BTR has vast experience with employer contribution strategies that work well with Ben Admin technology – here are a few strategies that have proven to be successful.

• Per Pay Contributions – This is typically the easiest strategy and reduces concerns with pro-rating employer contributions for new hires during the year.
• Monthly/Quarterly Employer Contributions – This strategy is ideal for HSA changes that are effective on the 1st of the month/quarter. Typically, the employee receives the employer contribution on the effective date occurring after the enrollment is completed. BTR recommends verifying that the ben admin system will support this strategy, since it is likely a different schedule than employees’ payroll schedules.
• One-Time Annual Contributions – This strategy works great at Annual Enrollment because it funds employees’ HSA accounts “up front” at the beginning of the plan year. However, it will be important to consider how your technology will pro-rate employer contributions for new hires and any mid-year adjustments.
• Employer-Match Per Pay Contributions – Typically, with this strategy, the employer matches a certain percentage of the employee contribution, up to a maximum amount. Not all systems can handle a per-pay employer match strategy, so it is recommended that employers check with the Ben Admin service team before implementing this strategy.
• Tier-based Contributions – An example of this strategy could include a $1,200 annual employer contribution for single HDHP coverage and a $2,400 annual employer contribution for family HDHP coverage. In this scenario, employers will want to consider how to handle the funding mechanisms (monthly vs. annually) for employees who have a life event during the year which could result in moving HDHP tiers.
• Wellness-based Contributions – This strategy entices employees to participate in wellness endeavors in order to earn employer contributions to their HSA. This is usually based on external factors, such as tobacco status or fitness event participation, so employers should verify that the ben admin technology can manage these factors in order to successfully execute employer contributions.

Employers looking to offer an employer-funded HSA plan should connect with the Ben Admin technology service team, as well as any other impacted systems, to determine if and how the technology will support the strategy. The goal of technology should be to avoid manual workarounds and costly mistakes. BTR is available to support these considerations as well as advise on technology recommendations for HSA Employer Contribution strategies.

If you would like more information, let us know! Email BTRProjects@bentechre.com to connect with our experts.

About the Author

Kristina Chavez supports BTR as the Business Development Manager, focusing on new opportunities and business development for the BTR Extend division. Kristina enjoys working directly with employers, as well as benefit advisors, to strategize on their technology needs around employee benefits.

The big takeaway from our 2021 BTR Summit conference was: “‘free’ is the new F-word.” Each year, we host brokers, vendors, and other stakeholders in the HR tech space to come together and explore market issues and trends. It was during our 2021 Summit that our attendees were in unanimous agreement that “free” is never “free” and there’s a cost to good HR technology.

“Free” can come at a high cost. Free software is typically underwhelming with many limitations, requiring more manual effort which is inefficient. This type of “free” is not the kind of “free” employers need. Employers should consider the cost associated with lost productivity for poor-performing software as well as manual tasks to make the software perform as desired.

Your Vendor is Your Partner

Careful selection and familiarization of HR tech partners help employers to avoid the pitfalls of free software. I don’t use the word “partner” lightly; HR technology should be a true partner to the organization who understands the business goals and initiatives, providing guidance and support to help business leaders accomplish both.

A true HR Technology partner will carry many of these characteristics:

• Won’t sell you services you don’t need
• Won’t dilute customer support—regardless of cost or discounts for their software.
• Will tell you things you may not want to hear.
  • For example, a partner may push back an implementation timeline because they are looking out for your interests and know that your reputation with your employees is essential to your brand.
• Will do it right rather than doing it fast
• Will outline what you can accomplish within the timeline
• Will help prioritize your HR technology and benefit administration goals which improves confidence with the approach and roadmap.
• Will plan to Go Live on time, recognizing that hope is not a strategy.

Employers should also consider the service model of their partner. BTR generally advises against the “service tiers” model because we believe every organization should get the best service regardless of the invoice’s bottom figure.

Expertise to Support Your Business Goals

Employers also need to recognize that each organization has unique needs that may vary from their industry counterparts. A tailored solution is typically going to out-perform a “plug & play” software when it comes to meeting business objectives. Business leaders can leverage a team with technology knowledge & expertise to design a strategically-tailored solution.

Help with Your HR Tech Strategy

The “you get what you pay for” principle applies to most HR technology products and services but is especially true with benefits administration. The good news is that employer organizations are becoming smarter and more sophisticated buyers. HR leaders increasingly understand that purchasing the right technology from the right partner saves time and money over the long term (and oftentimes in the short run, too). Still, the HR tech sector is large and complex. Even experienced buyers struggle to stay on top of the market.

Our team focuses on HR technology solutions every day. We know the market and work with insurance brokers to help employers achieve their business goals through best-fit HR technology solutions and vendor partnerships. The BTR team is happy to assist with your organization’s HR technology strategy—email BTRProjects@bentechre.com to get started!

About the Author

Kate Taylor is BTRs President & COO, she supports BTR’s directors and managers with operational initiatives, team development, and strategic growth.  Kate has successfully developed and led the BTR benefits administration division since its inception in 2010.  She has held nearly every role and has worked exclusively with benefits administration for over 12 years.

The HR technology market boasts a myriad of helpful employee-facing tools determined to make the employee experience magical and easy. HR technology is only worth the investment if employees actually use it.

But how can an organization ensure its people understand how to use the technology, especially if it is new?

Below are practical ways for HR administrators and business leaders to support employee adoption – and keep the workforce engaged – through HR technology.

Try to Break It

System Testing is a foundational element of launching any new technology. Employers should test their new system thoroughly, attempting to “break” the system or make mistakes common amongst employees. The testing phase not only allows for teams to catch errors and make corrections before going live, but also helps administrators become familiar with error messages and codes which in turn improves their user ability. Leverage your vendor partner’s testing materials as a starting point.

Enlist Focus groups

Once your system is tested and ready to go live, employers should enlist small groups of employees to review the system and test for user-friendliness. Focus groups support the endeavor of garnering much-needed feedback as well as adoption of the new technology. Focus groups can also highlight any gaps or needs for user education. Just be sure you actually act on the feedback – it’s their system!

Map out the Employee Experience

It is crucial for employees to know where to go and how to get there. HR teams should walk through the employee experience, so they are familiar with each step. HR teams will want to familiarize themselves with any transition points, such as when a New Hire will need to move from the HCM system to the benefits enrollment system via an API. Consider authoring a “site map” or similar document, complete with FAQs to use for internal education.

Speaking of Education


We all know that knowledge is power. Educating your employees on the purpose for and opportunities within your organization’s technology can go a long way regarding adoption and utilization. A company-branded instructional guide with screenshots and arrows is a popular way to educate employees. Internal webinars and podcasts also support employee education. BTR also always recommends posting support contacts throughout the system in case employees need to reach out for help.

Customization

Most HR technologies can feature employer logos, colors, and more to make the site recognizable to employees. Company branding within your HR technology empowers employees to have more trust and comfort with executing HR-related tasks in the system. Some systems even allow for customized email alerts, notifications, and confirmation messaging which also support the employee experience.

These are just some of the ways that employers can support their employees’ experiences within HR technology. Making your organization’s technology easy to use and recognizable will support your overall technology strategy and success.

If your organization would like to learn more about BTR services, email BTRProjects@bentechre.com to get started today!

About the Author

Holli Brummett supports BTR as the Business Development Coordinator, focusing on new opportunities and business development for the BTR Extend Division. Holli brings to the team several years of Benefits Administration experience on multiple systems, working with broker teams as well as employers across many industries, including manufacturing, school districts, hospital systems, and more.